Abstract: An apparatus having a signal conducting line with first and second ends is provided. The signal conducting line is configured to allow changes of impedance at space locations therealong. The signal conducting line is supported by a substrate. A signal generator is operably connected to the first end of the signal conducting line, the signal generator generating a measuring signal along the signal conducting line. The measuring signal has a predetermined characteristic, over a plurality of time intervals, when the measuring signal is undisturbed. When a disturbance is created in the measuring signal by, for example, the touching of the signal conducting line by a fingertip, the characteristic of the measuring signal varies from a predetermined deviation. Processing circuitry is operably connected to the first end of the signal conducting line so that the time interval at which the measuring signal is disturbed can be determined.

Abstract: A interactive value-added telecommunications system including automatic billing at a value-added rate controllable in real time is realized through in-place network carrier system utilities including multiparty switching which verify a calling party by a telephone number, and optionally a PIN number, and provides for calling party authorization of billing at a rate established by the called party. The system enables a method for conducting a business wherein a party calls for a service or product, is identified via one or two separate code sequences, requests a service or product from the called provider who establishes a rate for compliance. The caller authorizes and initiates the established charge to an account associated with one of said code sequences which preferably is a telephone number associated with a credit or debit account by completing a third-party call to a designated value-added number.

Abstract: A door answering system is described for enabling the occupant of a structure (e.g., house, apartment, etc.) to provide a pre-recorded message to a visitor who has approached the entrance of the structure. The system includes a speaker/microphone and a call switch at the entrance for the visitor. Inside the structure there is a recorder/player for playing a pre-recorded message and recording a message left by the visitor.

Abstract: A protective cover for the coinbox-containing portion of pay telephones of generally box-like construction, comprises a front panel flanked by a pair of parallel, rearwardly-extending side walls to define a generally U-shaped construction. The construction closely abuts the front and side panels of the telephone. The front panel is adapted to be permanently fastened to the coinbox cover of the telephone, such as by welding, and has an entryway to the telephone coin return slot and an integral raised portion positioned to overlie the top portion of the coin return door plate of the telephone.

Abstract: A method of telephone billing comprise providing a toll-free number to a customer to access a provider in a toll-free call from an originating customer telephone number, receiving the originating customer telephone number in response to the toll-free call, converting the toll-free call to a billable call during or after the toll-free call and billing the billable call to the originating customer telephone number.

Abstract: A passive telephone line monitor is provided for keeping a log of telephone line activity, both incoming and outgoing, with a microcomputer (MCU) controlled by an onboard program read only memory (ROM) working with 64K bytes of random access memory (RAM) divided into 32 byte caches allowing for up to 2,000 phone call registers depending upon utilization of available space. One hundred Alpha Directory numbers can be stored from its keyboard for personalized caller identification. Upon power application, memory, input devices and registers are initialized, and time and date are entered from the monitor keypad. The microcomputer, an interrupt controlled device, detects monitor keyboard interrupt and displays the data on a liquid crystal display, and upon completion of date and time entry, the MCU clears all interrupt flags and displays current date and clock.

Abstract: A system for inputting coordinates using a digitizer includes a display device provided with a display which has a first area, a digitizer provided with a pointing region which has a second area smaller than the first area, where the pointing region includes a number of dots which is greater than or equal to a number of dots included in the first area, a pointing device for pointing an arbitrary dot position on the pointing region of the digitizer, and a controller for controlling display information on the display of the display device so that a pointing area displayed on the display corresponds to the pointing region of the digitizer and a dot pointed by the pointing device on the pointing region of the digitizer is displayed within the pointing area. The controller moves the pointing area on the display in an arbitrary direction depending on a specific part of the pointing region which is pointed by the pointing device.

Abstract: A return coin discharge unit mountable in the box cabinet of a coin operable telephone apparatus has an entry opening into which return coins from the apparatus will drop and it includes a ramp in a passage down which ramp the dropped coins will slide and issue through a horizontal slot at a front end of the unit. An open ended trough having a curved inner bottom surface located on the ramp below the entry opening serves to cause dropped coins moving over its curved surface to obtain horizontal positions for sliding down the ramp. And, a flap gate pivoted in the passage and inclined forwardly with its bottom edge resting upon the ramp functions to allow one coin at a time to pass beneath it to the exit slot. Explosives and blocking material are prevented by the narrow horizontal slot against entry into the unit; and the gate curbs the extent to which damaging wires may be inserted through the slot into the unit.

Abstract: A telephone system including a switching circuit (3) connected to a plurality of extension telephone sets (1-1 to 1-n, 1-p) a plurality of office lines (4-1 to 4-m) for selectively connecting the respective extension telephone sets and the respective office lines, a control unit (6) for connecting an extension telephone set and an office line through the switching circuit (3), a main memory (8) for registering the extension telephone sets diverted into respective terminating call dedicated telephone sets. When a key provided at an extension telephone set is pressed in a predetermined process to input a data for diverting the extension telephone set into a terminating call dedicated telephone set, the control unit (6) registers the extension telephone set into main memory (8).

Abstract: A hand held telephone test set includes an internal strain relief interface configuration. The interface includes a well structure formed in a housing of the test set, with a plug receptacle disposed in the well structure. Additionally, a plug line channel is disposed in the housing and receives a plug line associated with a plug connected to the plug receptacle. The channel has a shape that provides strain relief for the plug/receptacle connection and the connecting line/plug connection.

Abstract: For determining the quality of virtual connections between input lines and output lines of an ATM switching equipment, the plurality of accepted and output message cells is separately acquired in a call-associated manner in the ATM switching equipment on the basis of cell headers of the message cells accepted via the input lines and, respectively, output to the output lines. In response to the cleardown of a respective virtual connection, the loss rate of the message cells is then calculated as a measure for the quality of the respective virtual connection from the previously, separately-acquired plurality of accepted and output message cells.

Abstract: In a coordinates input apparatus in which a vibration input from a vibration pen is detected by a plurality of vibration sensors attached to a transparent vibration propagating plate such as an acrylic or glass plate and the coordinate position of the vibration pen is detected from the vibration propagation times until the vibration sensors, the sensors and the vibration proof material are arranged in a manner such that a distance between the attaching boundary surface of the vibration proof material attached to the peripheral portion of the vibration propagating plate and the center of each sensor which is attached to the input side than the attaching boundary surface of the vibration proof material lies within a range from 0.5 time to a value less than 1.0 time as large as the diameter of the sensor, preferably, within a range from 1.0 mm to a value less than 2.0 mm.

Abstract: A novel method and improved system for the continuous detection monitoring of authorized/unauthorized connections/disconnections including loop bridging wiretapping equipment capable of monitoring recording voice and/or data communications on the subscriber's local telephone loop.In operation the detector monitor displays electrical changes in impedance condition and characteristics on the subscriber's local telephone loop to detect and monitor signaling, switching equipment and telephone lines connecting/disconnecting anywhere on the loop including the central exchange before, during and after the completion of a telephone call continuously.

Abstract: A telephone terminal disconnect accessory device for automatically disconnecting or hanging up the telephone at a first telephone terminal station when it is desirable to hold a conversation at a second telephone terminal station without having to return to the first telephone terminal station where the telephone was answered or from which a call was made, the device comprising a housing having at least two female modular jacks disposed in the walls thereof, and including an on/off switching means, a variable timing means, a latching relay means, a re-set switching means, and a transistor battery power supply.

Abstract: A digitizer screen and method of making. A coated conductive plastic film is perforated and is used in conjunction with a glass or other panel to provide a screen which may be used in an electronic digitizer for converting the position and movement of a stylus or other device on the screen to electrical signals representative of such positioning and movement. The perforated coated conductive plastic film may be laminated to the glass panel to form an integrated structure which does not require the use of masking and etching or similar processes to produce a desired apertured matrix pattern in the plastic film. Various arrangements of the plastic film are disclosed which facilitate the connection of the apertured portion of the plastic film to associated electronic components.

Abstract: A system for testing 2B1Q private line data telephony circuits having 2B1Q modulation between the network channel termination equipment and the channel unit. 2B1Q modulation is provided over a single pair of wires connected to the E and M leads of the channel unit. The system can deliver testing signals from two different sources. The first source is from a remote testing system connected to a remote access system which in turn is connected to the T, T1, R, and R1 output leads of the channel unit. The remote testing system generates conventional testing signals which are converted into digital signals for directly communicating with the 2B1Q pair of wires. The remote testing system delivers conventional tests for testing the loopback of the channel connected to the single pair of wires and to the network channel termination equipment. Under a second source of tests, the interface of the present invention directly connects to the T1 carrier.

Abstract: An added main line system is disclosed with particular utility in connection with equipment for providing the services of two telephone lines on a single conductor pair. The ring generator of the added main line system has two transistor bridges, one for the ringing signal on each of two subscriber lines. In each bridge, diagonally opposed pairs of transistors are turned on in alternation, providing alternating current for the ringing signal. The two bridges, each of which has four transistors, share two transistors. Comparators provide off-hook detection during the ringing cycle. Off-hook detection circuits are provided in series with selected driver transistors of the bridges, so that the condition of customer equipment going off-hook may be detected even though limited power is available for testing for the off-hook condition.

Abstract: An intercom system has a speaker or two-way transducer with a sound attenuation enclosure to minimize oscillation.

Abstract: A public modular telephone management system. By using several units and systems, as well as ancillary elements for managing public modular telephones, it is possible to provide the public modular telephones with means of making payment for the service by using several types of cards such as: credit, prepayment, telephone subscriber or multiservice cards.

Abstract: This invention relates to apparatus and a method for controlling a Digital Access and Crossconnect System (DACS) from a connected toll switching system. All control messages from operations support systems (OSS) for making crossconnect changes in the DACS are first routed to the toll switch. The toll switch extracts information needed to update its database and sends a control message to the DACS. In addition, the toll switch responds to changes in traffic patterns, perhaps due to the loss of a transmission facility, to generate a crossconnect change message to the DACS to rearrange facilities for more optimum performance. Advantageously, the OSSs for DACS control and switch control is combined and the toll network is made more responsive to traffic pattern changes and to losses of transmission facilities.